Advance Directives / Living Wills
As we approach the end of our lives, through aging or through severe illness, we may wish to communicate with our loved ones and the professionals who care for us about our desires for that care.
Each of us, regardless of age and infirmity, has a right to instruct or direct professionals in the care they give us. Our wishes regarding being fed by artificial means, being resuscitated, having surgery, taking medications, etc. should be followed by our caregivers, both professional and family, whenever possible.
It is difficult to handle issues of choice when the patient cannot communicate because of physical or mental impairments. For that reason laws have been passed which allow each of us to express our desires in writing. In addition, those same laws allow us to designate a person to express our wishes and make decisions on our behalf. The person who is designated cannot overrule our instruction but can deal with specific decisions that may need to be made.
Cloverdale Rehabilitation and Nursing Center will honor and uphold all advanced directives established by each individual resident. When a question occurs, the resident and/or responsible party will be consulted and will maintain ultimate control and decision-making.
Advance Directives are written instructions in the form of a living will or Durable Power of Attorney which are recognized and authorized under Alabama law and which relate to decisions concerning the provision of health care or other matters when an individual becomes incapacitated and is unable to make such decisions for himself or herself. The two most common forms of Advance Directives are the Living Will and the Durable Power of Attorney.
Living Wills
It is your right to make decisions regarding your own health care and treatments. A Living Will is a document recognized by state and federal law whereby you may direct your health care providers to withhold or withdraw certain life-sustaining procedures in the event that you have a terminal condition or are permanently incapacitated. You must be legally competent to execute a Living Will. The Facility will comply with the directives of a validly executed Living Will and in cooperation with your attending physician. A copy of your Living Will shall be included in your medical record.
Durable Power of Attorney
A Durable Power of Attorney is a written declaration made by a legally competent individual, in which the individual designates another person to be his or her Attorney-in-Fact in the event that the individual becomes incapacitated or incompetent. The Attorney-in-Fact has the power to make certain decisions on behalf of the individual. As a general rule, Durable Powers of Attorney do not allow the designated individual to make decisions concerning the resident’s health care or medical treatments. Therefore, if the resident intends to use a Durable Power of Attorney to grant decision making authority over health issues, the document must specifically include health care and medical treatments in the list of powers being granted.
As we approach the end of our lives, through aging or through severe illness, we may wish to communicate with our loved ones and the professionals who care for us about our desires for that care.
Each of us, regardless of age and infirmity, has a right to instruct or direct professionals in the care they give us. Our wishes regarding being fed by artificial means, being resuscitated, having surgery, taking medications, etc. should be followed by our caregivers, both professional and family, whenever possible.
It is difficult to handle issues of choice when the patient cannot communicate because of physical or mental impairments. For that reason laws have been passed which allow each of us to express our desires in writing. In addition, those same laws allow us to designate a person to express our wishes and make decisions on our behalf. The person who is designated cannot overrule our instruction but can deal with specific decisions that may need to be made.
Cloverdale Rehabilitation and Nursing Center will honor and uphold all advanced directives established by each individual resident. When a question occurs, the resident and/or responsible party will be consulted and will maintain ultimate control and decision-making.
Advance Directives are written instructions in the form of a living will or Durable Power of Attorney which are recognized and authorized under Alabama law and which relate to decisions concerning the provision of health care or other matters when an individual becomes incapacitated and is unable to make such decisions for himself or herself. The two most common forms of Advance Directives are the Living Will and the Durable Power of Attorney.
Living Wills
It is your right to make decisions regarding your own health care and treatments. A Living Will is a document recognized by state and federal law whereby you may direct your health care providers to withhold or withdraw certain life-sustaining procedures in the event that you have a terminal condition or are permanently incapacitated. You must be legally competent to execute a Living Will. The Facility will comply with the directives of a validly executed Living Will and in cooperation with your attending physician. A copy of your Living Will shall be included in your medical record.
Durable Power of Attorney
A Durable Power of Attorney is a written declaration made by a legally competent individual, in which the individual designates another person to be his or her Attorney-in-Fact in the event that the individual becomes incapacitated or incompetent. The Attorney-in-Fact has the power to make certain decisions on behalf of the individual. As a general rule, Durable Powers of Attorney do not allow the designated individual to make decisions concerning the resident’s health care or medical treatments. Therefore, if the resident intends to use a Durable Power of Attorney to grant decision making authority over health issues, the document must specifically include health care and medical treatments in the list of powers being granted.